Bowling ball handle



G. A. SHOWERS BOWLING BAL Aug. 15, 1961 L HANDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1960 r mm W m WW w 7 M Q A W r Q m n w G. A. SHOWERS BOWLING BALL HANDLE Aug. 15, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1960 IN VEN TOR. 646 7741 '4. J'K/OWAE'AJ United States Patent This invention relates to a novel and improved handle for bowling balls. I The primary object of the invention is to provide-a more eflicient and practical device of the kind indicated'which is more easily applicable to and released from a bowling ball, and which, when applied, aflordsstable and reliable securement thereof to a bowling ball,"the device being readily adjustable to accommodate bowling balls having differently spaced finger holes;

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated above which includes a novel' relatively stationary rear finger hole engaging eleinent, and a novel movablerfront finger hole engaging element, the latter being adapted to be manipulated by fingersof the handof the operator gripping the device, for clamping and locking the elements in engagement with thesidewalls of .theholes, inopposition to each other, andfor releasingthe front'element' from the front finger hole, in a direction away from the rear element, so as to permit the ball to fall freely'away from thedevice as the ball is bowled. t

f' A further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of thecharacter indicated above, outrigger cushion roliers located between the front and rear finger hole engaging elements, for forcibly engaging-the surface of'a ball; on locking of said elements in the finger' holes, for stabilizing the device on the ball against lateral canting tindshifting relative to the 'ball.

Other important objects-and advantageousjfeatures of the invention will be apparent'from the following description-and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for the purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail:

j' In-the drawings: t

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side elevation showing a device of the invention installed on a bowling ball, with fingers of an operators hand gripping the device and with other fingers positioning the clamping means and the lockingmeans of the front finger hole engaging assembly;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation taken from the left of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top .plan view of FIGURE 2; FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, showing the front assembly in locked and clamping position in full lines and in released position in phantom lines;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on'the line "5-5 of FIGURE 4; e

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4; and,

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary horizontal the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like nur n e rals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated device comprises apair of similar size longitudinally elongated boomerang-shaped side plates 10 and 12 having arcuate lower edges 14 conforming substantially in curvature to the surface of a bowling ball 16 which'is indented by circumferentially spaced radial front and rear finger holes 18 and20, respectively. The side plates 10 and 12 have longitudinally elongated segmental middle portions 22 and downwardly canted and longitudinally outwardly tapered front and rear or first and second end portions 24 and 26, respectively. The middle portions22 are formed withregistered'and similar longitudi section taken on ice 2 nally elongated closed openings 28, through which the second, third, and fourth fingers of a users hand are adapted to be engaged, as shown in FIGURE 1. A segmental flat core 30, of substantially the same shape as and registered with the middle portions 22 of the side plates '10, 12 is disposed therebetween and secured-in place, as by means of rivets 32. The core 30 has a finger opening 34 shaped like and registered with the openings 28 of the side plates, these openings having in common upper edges 36 which are formed with finger-accommodating recesses 38 therealong. The outer sides of the middle portions 22 of the plates 10 and 12 are prefer,- ably covered with rubber or similar compressible comfortaffording coverings 40.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the tapered rear end portions 26 of the plates 10, 12 extend rearwardly from the rear end of the core 30 and have fixed therebetween, as by means of rivets 42, a rear spacer bar 44 which is disposed at a forward and downward angle at the rear ends of the portions 26 and spaced from the rear end of the core 30. The rear end portions 26 are formed with longitudinal rows of registered pivot holes 46, in which are selectively engaged the ends of a pivot'pin 48, having a head 50 on one end thereof and a, removable cotter pin 52 on its other end. A vertically elongated rear grip ping or clamping lever 54 is pivoted intermediate its ends on the pin 48, between the side plates and in front of the spacer bar 44, and has a rounded upper end 56 extending above and a lower end portion 58 extending below the rear end portions 26. The lower end portion 58 has'a straight front edge 68 and a forwardly tapered and rounded'rear edge 62. Upper and lower adjusting screws 64 and 66 are threaded forwardly through the spacer bar 44, above and below, respectively, the plane of the pivot pin 48 and bear against the rear edges of the lever 54 for holding the lever 54 at'the required anglefor engaging therear finger hole 20 of a bowling ball 16, as shown in FIGURE 4, account being taken of the spacing of the hole 20 from the front finger hole 18. The adjusting screws 64 and 66 have heads 68 on their rear ends, and a bowed leaf spring 70 extends between the screws and balls against the-rear side of the spacer bar '44, and has free ends apertured, as indicated at 72, for the shanks of the screws forwardly of their heads, the spring serving to hold the screws against working out of place.

In the region of the lOWer forward corners of the middle portions 22 of the side plates 10, 12, the same are traversed by a threaded transverse shaft 74 having nuts 76 on the outer ends, behind which are, as shown in FIG.-

URE 5, relatively large diameter circular wheels 78, 0f

compressible material, and having rounded peripheral edges, and smaller diameter spacer washers 82, whereby the wheels 78 are spaced from opposite sides of the body of the device, in outrigger fashion. The wheels 78 are preferably fixed against rotation on the shaft 74, but can be rotatable thereon, and have their peripheral edges extended between the arcuate lower edges 1-4 of the side plates 10 and 12, as seen in FIGURE 4, to engage the surface of a bowling ball 16.

Formed outwardly in the forward end portions 24 of the side plates 10, 12 are similar and registered first finger receiving openings 84, which provide for an additional hand grip on the device, and for access to a latch member 86. The latch member 86 comprises a pendant arcuate lower portion 88 having a forwardly opening concavity 90 to receive the users first finger, and an upstanding straight upper portion 92 on the upper end of the arcuate portion 88, which is provided, at its upper end, as indicated at 94', with a pivot pin extending to and between the upper rear corners of the side plate front end portions 24. Fixed.

3v to and extending forwardly from an upper part of the upper portion 92 of the latch member 86, is an upwardly angled dog 96 which terminates, at its elevated forward end, in adownw-ardly olfset forwardly projecting boss 98. The dog 96 and the nose 98 are thinner than the portions 88 and 92, whose sides bear slidably against the facing surfaces of the side plates. A spring 100 is stretched between an anchor 102 on the intermediate part of the rear plate of the arcuate lower portion 88 and an anchor pin 104 extending between and secured to the side plates, ata location below and rearwardly of the anchor 102, so as to. bias the latch member 86 forwardly.

A vertically elongated manual clamping lever 106 is pivoted, intermediate its ends, on a pin 108 secured between the side plates 10, 12 at the forward edges of the frontend portions 24 and has a cushioned knob 110 on its upper end, adapted to be engaged and pushed forward ly by the users thumb, as shown in FIGURE 1, for clamping the device on a bowling ball 16. The clamping'lever 106 has a clevis 1-12 on its lower end, on which is pivoted as indicated at 114, the upper end of a forwardly inclined link 116. A spring 118 is stretched outwardly between an anchor 120 on the rear edge of the lever 106, above the pivot pin 108, and an anchor pin 122, secured between the side plates, at a location near the lower end of the lever 106, so as to bias the lever 106 rearwardly to inoperative position, as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 4.

' A comma-shaped eccentric clamping or gripping memher or dog 124 comprises an oval main portion 126 which is eccentn'cally pivoted, at its rear end, on a pivot pin 128 extending between and secured to the side plates 10, 12, 'at a location in the region of the lower rear corners of their front end portions 24, and is pivoted, at its forward end, as indicated at 130, to the lower end of the link 116. At its forward end the main portion 126 is formed with La downwardly and rearwardly extending tapered hinge 132 which extends below the lower edge 14 of the side plates 10, 12 to engage in the front finger hole 18 of the bowling ball, as shown in FIGURE 4.

The clamping lever 106 is provided, above its pivot108, with a vertically elongated closed detent slot 134, having a downwardly and rearwardly canted upper edge 136, with which the nose 98 of the latch dog 96 is engageable to hold the lever 106 in its forwardly pivoted, operative position, as seen in FIGURE 4, a shoulder 138 on the dog'96 bearing against the rear side of the lever, the spring serving to maintain this position of the nose and the dog. A forward front vertically elongated spacer bar 140 is secured, as indicated at 142, between. the front end portions 24 of the side plates .10, 12 along their forward 7 edges and forwardly of the clamping lever 106.

mes es that the tip 98 engages with the upper end 136 of the slot, and the shoulder 138 engages behind the lever 106, at the upper end of the slotl34, and holds the lever 106 in its forward clamping and locking position. The lever 106 can get out of this operativeposition only if the latch member be operated by the users'forefinger, as above described. a

With the device clamped to a bowling ball, as above described, the device has firm connection with the ball, and the compressed engagement of the wheels 78 with the ball, at opposite sides of the device, produced by the above-described application of the device to the ball, prevents. sidewise tilting of the device relative to the ball. so that the users grip on the device is sufiicient for accurate control and manipulation of the ball, for skillful bowling therewith.

While therehas been shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not. necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated .as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A bowling ball handle comprising an elongated body having an arcuate lower edge substantially conforming in curvature to the surface of a bowling ball, said body having forward and rear end portions and an intermediate port-ion, said intermediate portion having handle means, a relatively stationary rear clamping member mounted on said rear end portion and having a tip on its lower end extending below the lower edge of said body for engaging in a rear finger hole of a bowling ball, an eccen- In operation, the device having been applied to the surface of a bowling'ball 16 in line with its forward and rear finger holes 18, 28*, and the front locking dog 132 and the tip 58 of the rear locking lever 54 having been engaged in related finger holes, the manual clamping lever 106 is pushed forwardly, by means of the knob 110, from the phantom line position to the full line position shown in FIGURE 4, This produces, through the agency of the link 116, a rearwardly tilting of the eccentric gripping dog 1-24, forcible engagement of its tip 132 with the rear side of the forward finger hole 18, so that the tip 58 of the rear locking lever 54 is, in eifect, forced forwardly into the forward side of the rear finger hole 20, so that the part of the ball therebetween is gripped between the front locking dog tip 132 and the rear locking lever tip 58, the rear locking lever 54 having been adjusted by means of the screws 64 and 66, as the clamping action takes place.-

5 As the front locking lever 106 reaches its forward locking position, the latch member 86 is elevated by the users forefinger, so that the dog 96 and its shoulder 138 are put into engagement with the upper end 136 of the slot: 134 in the lever 106, where-at the latch member 96 isrelcase'd to be swung upwardly by the spring 100, so

tric clamping dog pivoted on said forward end portion having a tip extending downwardly below the lower edge of the body for engaging in a front finger hole of a bowling ball, in clamping opposition to the tip of the rear clamping member and manual locking lever means pivoted on said forward end portion and operatively connected to said eccentric dog, said rear clamping member being pivoted intermediate its ends on said rear end portion of the body, and adjusting means mounted on said rear end portion and engaging the rear clamping memher and holding the rear clamping member at a desired angle relative to the body, a pivot pin traversing said rear clamping member and pivoting the screw on said rear end portion, and a row of longitudinally spaced holes in said rear end portion to. selectively accept said pivot pin for selectively positioning said rear member longitudinally of said body.

2. A bowling ball handle comprising an elongated body having an arcuate lower edge substantially conforming in curvature to the surface of a bowling ball, said body having'forward and rear end portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having handle means, a relatively stationary rear clamping member mounted on said rear end portion and having a tip on its lower end extending below the lower edge of said body for engaging in a rear finger hole of a bowling ball, an eccentric clamping dog pivoted on said forward end portion having a tip extending downwardly below the lower edge of the body for engaging in a front finger hole of a bowling ball, in clamping opposition to the tip of the rear clamping member, and manual locking lever means pivoted on said forward end portion and operatively C011, nccted to said eccentric dog, said locking lever means comprising a vertical forward clamping lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said forward end portion of the body, a finger knob on the upper end of the forward lever, a link having a first end pivoted to the lower end of the forward lever and a second end eccentrically pivoted to said eccentric dog, said forward lever having a longitudinal slot above its pivotal axis, said'slot having an upper end, and a manual latch provided intermediate its ends on saidforward end portion, said latch having a forwardly extending dog having a forwardly extending tip extending through said slot, a shoulder on said dog at the end of said tip, said latch being adapted to be elevated to engage the dog tip with the upper end of the slot and the shoulder bearing against the rear side of the forward lever, only in the forwardly pivoted operative position of the forward lever.

3. A bowling ball handle comprising an elongated body having an. arcuate lower. edge substantially conformingfin curvature to the surface of a bowling ball, saidlbody having .forward and rear end portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having handle means, a relatively stationary rear clamping member mounted on said rear end portion and having a tip on its lower end extending below the lower edge of said body for engaging in a rear finger hole of a bowling ball, an eccentric clamping dog pivoted on said forward end portion having a tip extending downwardly below the lower edge of the body for engaging in a front finger hole of a bowling ball, in clamping opposition to the tip of the rear clamping member, and manual locking lever means pivoted on said forward end portion and operatively connected to said eccentric dog, said locking lever means comprising a vertical forward clamping lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said forward end portion of the body, a finger knob on the upper end of the forward lever, a link having a first end pivoted to the lower end of the forward lever and a second end eccentrically pivoted to said eccentric dog, said forward lever having a longitudinal slot above its pivotal axis, said slot having an upper end, and a manual latch provided intermediate its ends on said forward end portion, said latch having a forwardly extending dog having a forwardly extending tip extending through said slot, a shoulder on said dog at the end of said tip, said latch being adapted to be elevated to engage the dog tip with the upper end of the slot and the shoulder bearing against the rear side of the forward lever, only in the forwardly pivoted operative position of the forward lever, fixed spring means biasing said latch upwardly, and second spring means biasing said forward lever rearwardly.

4. A bowling ball handle comprising an elongated body having an arcuate lower edge substantially conforming in curvature to the surface of a bowling ball, said body having forward and rear end portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having handle means, a relatively stationary rear clamping member mounted on said rear end portion and having a tip on its lower end extending below the lower edge of said body for engaging in a rear finger hole of a bowling ball, an eccentric clamping dog pivoted on said forward end portion having a tip extending downwardly below the lower edge of the body for engaging in a front finger hole of a bowling ball, in clamping opposition to the tip of the rear clamping member, and manual locking lever means pivoted on said forward end portion and operatively connected to said eccentric dog, said locking lever means comprising a vertical forward clamping lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said forward end portion of the body, a finger knob on the upper end of the forward lever, a link having a first end pivoted to the lower end of the forward lever and a second end eccentrically pivoted to said eccentric dog, said forward lever having a longitudinal slot above its pivotal axis, said slot having an upper end, and a manual latch provided intermediate its ends on said forward end portion, said'latch having a forwardly extending dog having a forwardly extending tip extending through said slot, a shoulder on said dog at the end of said tip, said latch being adapted to be elevated to engage the dog tip With the upper end of the slot and the shoulder bearing against the rear side of the forward lever, only in the forwardly pivoted operative position of the forward lever, fixed spring means biasing said latch upwardly, and second spring means biasing said forward lever rearwardly, said body comprising a core, side plates fixed in opposite sides of the core, said 6 forward and rear end portions comprising forward and rear end portions of the plates extending beyond related ends of the core, said rear clamping lever and said forward clamping lever, link, and eccentric dog being located between related plate end portions.

5. A bowling ball handle comprising an elongated body having an arcuate lower edge substantially conforming in curvature to the surface of a bowling ball, said body having forward and rear end portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having handle means, a relatively stationary rear clamping member mounted on said rear end portion and having a tip on its lower end extending below the lower edge of said body for engaging in a rear finger hole of a bowling ball, an eccentric clamping dog pivoted on said forward end portion having a tip extending downwardly below the lower edge of the body for engaging in a front finger hole of a bowling ball, in clamping opposition to the tip of the rear clamping member, and manual locking lever means pivoted on said forward end portion and operatively connected to said eccentric dog, said locking lever means comprising a vertical forward clamping lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said forward end portion of the body, a finger knob on the upper end of the forward lever, a link having a first end pivoted to the lower end of the forward lever and a second end eccentrically pivoted to said eccentric dog, said forward lever havinga longitudinal slot above its pivotal axis, said slot having an upper end, and a manual latch provided intermediate its ends on said forward end portion, said latch having a forwardly extending dog having a forwardly extending tip extending through said slot, a shoulder on said dog at the end of said tip, said latch being adapted to be elevated to engage the dog tip with the upper end of the slot and the shoulder bearing against the rear side of the forward lever, only in the forwardly pivoted operative position of the forward lever, fixed spring means biasing said latch upwardly, and second spring means biasing said forward lever rearwardly, said body comprising a core, side plates fixed in opposite sides of the core, said forward and rear end portions comprising forward and rear end portions of the plates extending beyond related ends of the core, said rear clamping lever and said forward clamping lever, link, and eccentric dog being located between related plate end portions, said handle means comprising registered longitudinal slots formed in the core and in the side plates.

6. A bowling ball handle comprising an elongated body having an arcuate lower edge substantially conforming in curvature to the surface of a bowling ball, said body having forward and rear end portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having handle means, a relatively stationary rear clamping member mounted on said rear end portion and having a tip on its lower end extending below the lower edge of said body for engaging in a rear finger hole of a bowling ball, an eccentric clamping dog pivoted on said forward end portion having a tip extending downwardly below the lower edge of the body for engaging in a front fingerhole of a bowling ball, in clamping opposition to the tip of the rear clamping member, and manual locking lever means pivoted on said forward end portion and operatively connected to said eccentric dog, said locking lever means comprising a vertical forward clamping lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said forward end portion of the body, a finger knob on the upper end of the forward lever, a link having a first end pivoted to the lower end of the forward lever and a second end eccentically pivoted to said eccentric dog, said forward lever having a "7 elevated to engage the dog tip with the upper end of the :slot and the shoulder bearing against the rear side of the forward lever, only in the forwardly pivoted operative position of the forward lever, fixed spring means biasing said latch upwardly, and second spring means biasing said forward lever rearwardly, said body comprising a core, side plates fixed in opposite sides of the core, said for ward and rear end portions comprising forward and rear end portions of the plates extending beyond related ends of the core, said rear clamping lever and said forward clamping lever, link, and eccentric dog being located be- 5 saidlatch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Coiling May 6, 1952 Golfing Aug.'26, 1952 Wells Mar. 13, 195d 

